Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Paced by four home runs on the day, the Bellevue University softball team swept Viterbo University Sunday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association action at Viterbo Outdoor Athletic Complex. The Bruins won by scores of 8-0 (in five innings) and 8-3.
With the two wins, the Bruins improved to 27-19 on the season and 9-9 in the NSAA. Viterbo fell to 10-25 overall and 6-15 in league play.
The two teams will conclude the four-game series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Monday (April 23) in La Crosse.
Game 1: Bellevue 8, Viterbo 0 (5 innings)
Randi Henry drove in four runs and Erin Sharpe and Lexi LeCalsey combined for a five-inning one-hit shutout as the Bruins cruised to the 8-0 win in the opener. BU outhit the V-Hawks, 11-1, in the victory.
Henry finished 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs to pace the Bruin offense.
Neither team threatened until the top of the fourth when Emily Gigax led off the inning with a double to left field and Henry's home run to center field gave the Bruins' a 2-0 advantage. It marked Henry's first homer of her career.
Bellevue erupted for six runs in the top of the fifth on a bases-loaded two-run single to center field by Henry, RBI infield singles by Maddie Siedlik and Alex Tooley, and a two-run single to right field by Grace Glotfelty to extend the margin to 8-0.
Sharpe earned the win, improving to 13-4 on the season. She did not allow a hit while walking two and striking out two in four innings of work.
Brooklyn Ottelien (2-8) suffered the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings in the circle.
Game 2: Bellevue 8, Viterbo 3
Sharpe collected her second win of the day and three different Bruins launched home runs as BU completed the sweep with the 8-3 victory in the nightcap.
The Bruins took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a bases-loaded hit by pitch to Sayde Woten, a sacrifice fly to left field by Henry, and an RBI single to center field by Siedlik.
The V-Hawks scored their first run of the day on an RBI single to left by Ottelien in the bottom of the first to slice the deficit to 3-1.
Back-to-back home runs by Gigax and Woten highlighted a four-run second inning as BU pushed the lead to 7-1.
Sharpe's 16th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field, gave BU an 8-1 edge in the top of the sixth frame.
VU responded in the bottom of the sixth when Ottelien led off the inning with a solo homer to right center field and Caitlin Brown drove in another run with a double down the right-field line to pull the V-Hawks to within five runs at 8-3.
Sharpe (14-4) was credited with the win, scattering five hits with three walks in five innings of work.
